Reposted from Atlanta Magazine’s Home (Winter 2008-2009)

When the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, opened in 1984, its guestrooms’ burled wood armoires, pastel floral chintz draperies, and Williamsburg brass lamps embodied luxury in an era smitten with Mario Buatta’s English style. To celebrate its twenty-fifth anniversary this January, the Ritz has staged a massive $38-million guestroom overhaul. The fresh look illustrates some helpful ways for homeowners to update their own master suites:

  • Lighten up the draperies. The Ritz switched heavy swags and jabots for silk panels and sheers, topped with a simple wooden molding. Lighter window treatments flood your room with natural light and won’t impede the view to outside.
  • Ditch the entertainment armoire. Mount your new flat-screen TV on the wall or place it on a dresser. Update an old dresser by topping it with a stone slab. (Now line the back of your armoire with a mirror, add shelves, and turn it into a bar cabinet.)
  • Avoid overly matched furniture. The Ritz’s new end tables are similar in size and materials but are not identical.
  • Mix contemporary lamps and traditional art. Keep your treasured prints or oil paintings, but ditch those ginger jar lamps for something more modern in chunky crystal or sleek Lucite.